16 August 2011

Barbarians to teem through the gates as Canberra Airport gets less police.

| johnboy
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Liberal Senator Gary Humphries is warning that reductions in the numbers of police at Canberra Airport are a grave threat to national security:

“Federal Labor have slashed the AFP’s air marshal program by $17 million over the next four years, axing police numbers from Darwin and Canberra airports in an effort to improve their budget bottom line,” Mr Keenan said.

“Once again our frontline agencies are bearing the brunt of Labor’s billion dollar blowouts on their failed border protection policies.

“Labor have made a conscious decision to put Australia’s national security at grave risk by cutting police numbers in critical frontline areas like our airports,” he said.

Tremble in fear citizens.

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Primal said :

Less security theatre at airports? Yes please.

Yep. And are the ones hanging around the airport police, or fake police? They had one stationed outside arrivals for ages, monstering anyone who dared to drive in there to pick up people.

Thank you dtc for picking up my thread about the Libs screaming about overspending by the govt then screaming about cuts to services when spending is reduced. You would think as the ones putting themselves foward as the alternative gov’t that they would realize that there is no magic pudding, although they do seem to be hanging on to that fantasy. The Libs proposed 12,000 cuts to the Public Service are going to seriously reduce services to all Australians yet they scream when Labour makes small cuts .Thumper in an earlier post (4) didn’t get that point at all. Perhaps he should go back to watching reruns of the Simpsons. That’s the last time I heard someone referred to as “Dude”.

trevar said :

“Less Police”? Last I checked, police came in individual embodiments, not a sludgy mass! Sure, they’re not the most effectual of professions, but it’s a bit extreme to treat the word ‘police’ as a mass noun, rather than a count noun. Surely you mean “fewer police”?

Actually, in many countries the police view it both ways – they will say ‘I am Police’.

I do think its interesting that the Libs argue over all govt cuts but at the same time claim that the ALP is spending too much. Presumably the Libs do understand that cutting costs does mean cutting services. And that if the Libs werent jumping around so much about immigration we wouldnt be wasting millions (and millions) on v expensive detention policies.

trevar said :

“Less Police”? Last I checked, police came in individual embodiments, not a sludgy mass! Sure, they’re not the most effectual of professions, but it’s a bit extreme to treat the word ‘police’ as a mass noun, rather than a count noun. Surely you mean “fewer police”?

Generally I view the whole less v. Fewer thing as nothing more than a good way to figure out whoo not to sit next to at dinner.

“Less Police”? Last I checked, police came in individual embodiments, not a sludgy mass! Sure, they’re not the most effectual of professions, but it’s a bit extreme to treat the word ‘police’ as a mass noun, rather than a count noun. Surely you mean “fewer police”?

Primal said :

Less security theatre at airports? Yes please.

Looking at the police actors assigned to the Canberra International Airport beat, they look to be hamming it up very well. Seems to be a place for porky police to hang out.

Pete, tubby taxidriver

Less security theatre at airports? Yes please.

“Air Marshals” yes we need to continue paying people to sit around in planes all day while trying to look inconspicuous, just in case they are required to shoot someone. If these people are now looking for work, perhaps I could hire one to sit in my car while I’m driving, just in case, you never know.

It’s about time we started to calm down and be a little less paranoid about national security.

Less blind security presence and less intrusive security theatre, all at lower cost, while returning to intelligence gathering and investigative security methodology?
Who do I need to talk to about my rising state of approval?

We had no previous incidents of terrorism at airport terminals, we were dependent on intelligence and relevant communications to law enforcement prior to Gary recommending ASOs have a presence onboard domestic and international flights.

The strangest part of this whole media release from Gary screaming about national security is that it wasn’t originally a national security management based recommendation. It was a threat identified as resulting from domestic mental health problems based recommendation, and Gary himself was part of the Committee which made the recommendation on that basis.

Quote:
…the history of aviation incidents in Australia, discussed in Chapter 2, has shown that to date it has been passengers with mental health problems who have caused problems. Such problems are more likely to surface during times of stress—for air passengers this probably would be during flight. The Committee concludes it is good risk management practice to have a security presence on board aircraft.
(Source: Page 61 of Report 400: Review of Aviation Security in Australia, Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audi Members… Senator Gary Humphries…)

“Federal Labor have slashed the AFP’s air marshal program by $17 million over the next four years, axing police numbers from Darwin and Canberra airports in an effort to improve their budget bottom line,” Mr Keenan said.

This bleating is only relevant when we know where the 12,000 or so cuts in the number of public servants promised by Tony (Howard) Abbott will come from. Till then anything the Liberals have to say is just so much posturing and waffle.

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